Thursday, January 29, 2009

Coming Attractions: "A Red Lipstick"


Lara calmly turned to the mirror and said as she dabbed her lip “I’m hungry and you’re gonna get us kicked out of here before we get a chance to eat…if they don’t call the cops first.” The mention of the police dimmed the wattage of Guy’s sneer for less than a second and only someone who knew him would’ve even noticed.

“I ain’t worried about the heat; I got them in my pocket like my blade. You should worry about what’s gonna happened to your five dollar backside if you don’t get out of this bathroom in the next minute. I ain’t waiting all day to order and if you’re not ready by the time the waitress puts my coffee on the table? Well, let’s just say you’re looking tired. Maybe you need a little vacation like Millie got. Might do you a bit of good to get some rest. A little beauty sleep.” Then he laughed like a poor Cajun’s version of The Shadow.

Guy turned on his heels and walked out, his purple zoot suit with red pinstripes a garish blur. Lara smiled even though it caused her almost as much pain as one of Guy’s punches. Everything had to fall into place like one of those complicated Rube Goldberg contraptions. The stakes were high. She had everything to lose and her life to win. Her hand shook as she raised her lipstick, then it became amazingly steady as she started writing.


-From the story "A Red Lipstick," in Astonishing Adventures Magazine Issue #5

10 comments:

Paul D Brazill said...

Smashing title and' The mention of the police dimmed the wattage of Guy’s sneer for less than a second and only someone who knew him would’ve even noticed.' is a fantastic line ... will read on ASAP. BTW you know it's bad luck to write your name in red in Korea? only the names of the dead are written in red...

Cormac Brown said...

Paulie Decibels,

I didn't know about the red, though I don't eat enough bul go gi and kim chee for me to worry about Korean superstitions.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Nice, Cormac. I'll be looking forward to it.

Cormac Brown said...

Patti,

If you Google it, it will come. Uh, I mean you can probably read an advanced copy...

Gifted Typist said...

That suit. my eyes are now a blur.

Cormac Brown said...

Gifted,

Oh...I guess I know what I won't be wearing when I meet you and the Typist family.

Paul D Brazill said...

Just read it. One of your best.

Gifted Typist said...

At least I'll know you when I see you now ... and I've also cracked the riddle about which character your wife is in All About Eve, thanks to facebook!

Cormac Brown said...

Paulie,

Thank you sir.

Gifted,

That's right, I'm married to Bette Davis >; )

Princess LadyBug said...

Ohmygoodness! I Googled it and found it. That was nothing short of amazing.

Seriously. Can I be you when I grow up?